(1)This is short, and for a good reason. The next chapter is going to be hell. I'm dragging out every emotion possible and putting it in that chapter. It's probably going to be pretty long.
(2) This is just between Kurt, Santana and Rachel. Dani isn't there, but she is mentioned. I kind of love there relationship, so yeah, who doesn't?
(3)Title taken from Zedd ft. Halyey William's "Stay The Night"
One more hour, Santana thinks, and thrums her fingers on the counter of the bar, glancing to the booth that sits diagonally from her. She's half expecting to see Dani sitting there, either grinning ear-to-ear at her, or softly strumming her guitar to some made up tune in her head. But she's not there, and Santana can just feel a headache coming on. One more hour.
The Spotlights diner is completely deserted, their boss, Gunther, is no where to be found. Rachel and Kurt are halfheartedly drying clean plates form a buss-bin, and Santana can't really blame them. Life is exhausting, and working the graveyard shift anywhere is hell on earth, and Rachel has funny girl, Kurt has a fiancée to skype, and Santana has a beautiful girl waiting for her a few blocks down. She can't wait to trudge to Dani's apartment and crash in her bed for twelve hours, and then get up and do it all over again. Joy.
Dani even promised to come and get Santana and take her breakfast (if she made enough tips, that is.) And how could someone not tip a girl with a face like hers?
She sighs, taking into account how god-awful the restaurant looks. There are crumbs and straw wrappers all over the floors and tabletops. The sugar caddies need restocking and Santana swears she can even see cobwebs forming in the corners. An hour ago, Kurt had set the broom out, probably in hops that either Santana or Rachel would gladly sweep in his place, but unfortunately it is still sitting in the same place, just pathetically mocking Santana. Against her better judgment, she wanders over and grabs the broom, begrudgingly dragging it back and forth over the floor, and she thinks it's probably better than trying to clean up the rest of the tornado-wreck that is the restaurant.
She's just beginning to see signs of the sun peaking over the tops of the buildings across the street, and she almost starts humming the tune to 'Here Comes the Sun', but Christ, she's had enough unexpected singing and performances in one day to last a life time.
"Something is different about you," Kurt says unexpectedly, jolting Santana from her thoughts, and breaking the exhausted silence.
"Me?" Santana says, looking up to meet Kurt and Rachel's curious eyes.
"I've noticed it too," Rachel adds, a fatigued smile on her face.
"I mean you haven't called me Lady Hummel in weeks."
"Ugh," Santana scoffs, and looks at the small area of the floor she has cleaned. "I'm pretty sure I called you that this morning. Maybe it was all in my head, by same difference."
"I don't know, you just seem to be…nice lately," Kurt says, yawning.
"I think," Rachel says, a huge grin still plastered on her face, "it has everything to do with that brown eyed, blonde haired girl you've been seeing."
"Dani?" Santana says, almost puzzled, her eyebrows furrowing together. She's not sure if she really is confused, or it is just the lack of sleep catching up with her.
"No, me," Kurt adds sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"You best be getting back to wiping that dish down afores I come over there and beat you with that towel," Santana weakly snarls, pointing a finger at Kurt. She can't help it though, when a huge smile covers her face.
"I knew it!" Rachel shouts, "Dani cracked the hard shell that is Santana Lopez!"
"She didn't have to do much cracking. I've always been this nice. You guys are just never lucky enough to see it."
"Oh come on," Kurt joins, stacking a dish on the top of a pile that is beginning to look like it is going to come crashing down any second. "You spent three years of your high school career viciously hiding the fact that you were in love with a girl, even when everyone in Glee club already had you figured out."
"Dani's just…" but Santana can't seem to find the right words, so she just shakes her head and looks at the floor again.
"She's what?" Rachel asks encouragingly, "We're two of your best friends, you can tell us anything."
"She's different," Santana starts, leaning the broom against a booth and walks over to where Kurt and Rachel are standing. "Everything happened so fast really. I was cheering for Louisville, and then I was desperately trying to win Brittany back. One second I'm coming to New York, and the next I'm working almost full time here. I never could catch a break. And then Danielle-Dani- happened." Santana pauses, pulling out a stool from the bar and sitting down. "She was the deep breath I never got. And she pretty much just brought out- and is still bringing out the best of me, according to you guys."
"That's the job of people who love you," Rachel responds, practically in awe, "to bring out your best qualities."
"Well she needs to stick around. I'm really enjoying the non-bitchy Santana," Kurt says as he finished wiping his final dish down.
"She really loves you, you know?" Rachel says, still smiling.
"She said that?"
"Sure did," Rachel continues, "a few days ago when we were working a shift together. She kind of blurted it out and then blushed and didn't speak to me for the rest of the night. But nonetheless, she said it."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because it's not my job; you don't need to hear it from me, you need to hear it from her."
"Wow," Santana breathes, and gets a whole new warm feeling in her stomach. "She just never fails to blow me away."
"Yeah," Kurt laughs, raising his eyebrows, "We can certainly tell by the look on your face the morning after you've had crazy lady sex the night before."
"Okay, yeah, to far Hummel," Santana says, reaching over the counter to grab the towel from Kurt's hands without much effort. He just lets it slip through his fingers, and then cowers away when she raises it in the air and threatens to smack the living daylight out of him.
"No really," Rachel giggles, and she's doing that thing where her knees are bent and she's leaning forward in a laughing fit, and for a second, Santana is genuinely concerned for her. "Your mouth just kind of hangs open in awe. And you don't say much, you just kind of stare forward."
"Oh come on, I do not do that."
"Yeah you do," Rachel continues, leaning forward, in the way that she always does, trying to make things a secret, but failing horribly, as Kurt hears everything she says. "I think, Dani is the one calling the shots, and controls your every move in bed."
"Ew! God Rachel, don't ever talk about that again. I don't want to ever know what goes on behind closed doors when I'm not around."
"Let's drop the subject completely before twinkle toes over here cuts off his ears and mails them to Blaine like that famous artist guy."
"You know I'm right!" Rachel states matter-of-factly the same moment the bell above the door rings and an old man wanders in.
"This is never to be discussed again," Santana adds before grabbing a menu and heading in the same direction as the old man, who is moving so slow he seems to be going backwards.
"Welcome to the Spotlights diner!" Rachel yells, and Santana stops, in one last attempt to stop one Rachel Berry.
"Oh, and by the way," she says, lowering her voice and pointing the menu in Rachel's general direction, "Nobody tops Santana Lopez!"